Drake Bell Talks 'Honest' EP, Sketch Comedy & Favorite Albums

Find out about the singer/songwriter's inspiration for his new EP, whether he can beat his mom at pool or not, and why sketch comedy and the Beatles rule

Tim McPhate

GRAMMYs

Sep 21, 2017 - 9:41 am

Honesty is always a good policy, especially for Drake Bell.

Drake Bell On 'Honest' EP, Latin Influences

Following his 2014's rockabilly-inflected Ready Steady Go!¸ Bell followed his creative muse to pursue a new pop direction. The result is Honest, a four-track EP that gives off good-time feels, top-down thrills and sunny California vibes.

In an exclusive GRAMMY.com interview, the former Nickelodeon star opens up about his path on Honest, his YouTube channel and family sports ties, plus his five favorite albums of all time.

Honest is your first release since Ready Steady Go! Why did you decide to go with a four-song EP this time around?
I was touring that last record, the rockabilly album, almost for two years and I was feeling so deprived creatively because it was more of a cover album. And when I got back in the studio and started writing my own material, these songs started coming out and I was so excited to get them to the fans. I thought, "Why wait until I have 12 or 13 songs when, the way music's delivered now, I could just drop four now and drop another four in a couple months or drop a single?" I was more interested in getting this new sound out to the fans than waiting for an entire album.

What was your goal with Honest?
I mean, it's a complete departure from the last album. The last album we recorded with all these musicians and everything and total stripped-down rockabilly. But this new album is completely different … it goes back to my earlier albums as far as the songwriting process. And sonically, it's just totally different. We've taken on a whole new pop, EDM dance … sound. It's really exciting. I don't know how to describe it, but it's really fun and new.

Tell me about the inspiration for the track "Rewind."
I have a big Latin following. I go down there and play in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and all these places. I think being down there and around that culture and hearing the music down there, it influenced "Rewind." There's a Spanish guitar and a very Spanish sound to it. Spending so much time down there kind of contributed to that sound.

Your cousin is former Major League Baseball pitcher Heath Bell. Ever step in the batter's box against him?
(laughs) No, no. I never batted against him. But when I was a kid, I played little league and, before he was in the majors, I would go out and practice with him and he would teach me pointers and show me stuff. Everyone in the whole family was like, "He's going to be in the majors someday!" And you just think, "Everybody's parents say that about their kid who plays baseball." And lo and behold, he became one of the best closers. It's pretty awesome to say, "That's my cousin." And all the baseball fans were like, "No way!" They didn't care about what I did. They were like, "That's your cousin. That's amazing!"

Speaking of amazing, your mom, Robin Dodson, is a champion pool player.
My mom is a two-time world champion pool player. She's in the WPBA Hall of Fame. She's incredible — one of the top three women who have ever played pool. It's unreal.

Did you ever beat her at a game of pool?
No, I've never beaten my mom at pool. Never. The thing is when we were little, she used to have to practice all the time. And we would want to go in and play. She would need the time to practice and when we'd play she couldn't practice. It would be distracting. She'd go, "OK, we can play. Go ahead and rack the balls." And then she'd break, and she'd run out. She's like, "OK, go ahead and rack the balls again." Break, run out. And then we'd get bored. All we'd do is rack the balls so we'd end up going outside and playing. And then she would be able to continue and practice. But yeah, she doesn't miss.

You've got a variety of fun content on your YouTube channel. What do you have in the works coming up?
We do the "Where's Walter" series on there, which is a throwback to "Drake & Josh." I love sketch comedy and I love playing different characters and writing for different characters and being wacky, zany and funny. Coming from "The Amanda Show" and that background, I just love "SNL" and [Canadian comedy show] "SCTV" and that style. Probably just more sketches and fun stuff like that. Also, I'm about to go on tour for six, seven weeks around the country. So a lot of vlogging and I'm probably going to be showing a lot of the tour for people who aren't able to make it out to the dates.

What is your favorite TV show now?
Right now, my favorite show that I've seen recently is "Better Call Saul." I didn't watch "Breaking Bad" so I came into "Better Call Saul" with a completely blank slate. I can sit and binge-watch that for the entirety of the season.

You can only stream five albums for the rest of your life. What are Drake Bell's five desert island albums?
Oh man. Let's see, I would take [the Beatles'] Sgt. Pepper, Revolver [and] Magical Mystery Tour. Graceland by Paul Simon. And then I'd have to [add] an Elvis greatest hits.

Demi Lovato Heals Her Wounds Through The Power Of Music

Demi Lovato On Renewed Faith In Music, New Album

On the lower level of Steinway & Sons' New York City showroom, she sits perched with perfect posture and a warm smile as her makeup artist dusts a hint of blush across her cheeks. In this moment — lights in place, cell phones silenced, cameras ready to roll — it's hard to believe that just a year ago Lovato vowed to take a break from the industry, her nearly decade-long music career included.

"I am not meant for this business and the media," she candidly tweeted in October 2016.

It's a significant shift for someone who has long been in the spotlight. However, Lovato's ascension from tween Disney star to full-fledged chart-topping pop songstress hasn't come without its bumps or bruises as she's openly discussed her struggles with bipolar disorder, bulimia and substance abuse. But this time around there was no juicy tabloid headline to churn out, no scandal on the horizon to be uncovered, no countdown to a rehab stint.

"I had just been getting frustrated with feedback online with certain things that I had tweeted and said in interviews," Lovato explains. "I had just started to become jaded and frustrated about how people were more focused on the things I was saying rather than my music."

Lovato was simply a 24-year-old woman then, who understood that taking time to find a balance between the anxieties and ambitions that come with a career as such was the best choice of self-care she could embrace. And so she retreated.

However, her break came to a sudden and unexpected halt two months later when she received her first-ever GRAMMY nomination. Her fifth studio album, Confident, a fun and super-sexy coming-of-age pop gem, was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album.

Up against the likes of Adele's 25, which would win the category, Justin Bieber's Purpose, Ariana Grande's Dangerous Woman, and Sia's This Is Acting, the announcement alone gave Lovato a renewed faith in her music that she once felt was being overshadowed.

"It was just the recognition that I really needed to get inspired again,” she reminiscences of the moment as if it all just happened yesterday.

Continuing her vow of silence, she unshackled the chains and stigma of celebrity and hunkered down on placing on all her time, energy and emotions into the new body of work. Unlike some of her contemporaries, she doesn't just use her platform to belt out Top 40 hits and marvel in clout. She's found a larger purpose in her career: a fully evident love and enthusiasm for speaking out on addiction and mental health, as well as self-empowerment and spreading its healing powers.

On Tell Me You Love Me, she channels the drama (mostly breakups and matters of the heart) that once consumed her life, making for the strongest, most enduring body of work the singer/songwriter has ever created.

There's a stark contrast between the past five albums Lovato has released and Tell Me You Love Me. It's more savory and soulful, and influenced by commanding voices like Aretha Franklin, Christina Aguilera and Kehlani.

"I don't have much fun singing the pop songs," she reveals.

But while the album leans towards more of a slick, modern R&B sound with the help of super producer DJ Mustard, among others, she hasn't abandoned the pop tendencies that brought her this far.

"One of the most important rules that I live by today is to always speak your mind and always stand up for the things you believe in."

Take the album's lead single, "Sorry Not Sorry." Produced by Warren "Oak" Felder, who has lent his shapeshifting sound to the discographies of contemporary hotshots like Kehlani and Alessia Cara, the unapologetic gospel-tinged track takes Lovato's oft-undervalued yet dynamic vocal range to new heights. Soaring over chest-thumping bass and electronic synths, it’s a match made in heaven for the defiant, no-nonsense anthem.

Other released singles like the title track and "You Don't Do It for Me Anymore," both searing ballads, prove that Lovato has reached a new level as an artist. The latter, which she points out is void of background vocals and stacks of instrumental tracks, is one of her many favorites on the project.

With Tell Me You Love Me, it's clear that Lovato wants to make music that shows the world what she can really do.

"I've got this super personal song that I'm nervous about people hearing for the first time," she shares, noting that she recorded it half in tears. But no matter how painful revisiting old wounds can be, Lovato isn't ashamed to be vulnerable.

"One of the most important rules that I live by today is to always speak your mind and always stand up for the things you believe in," she declares. "Those two things give your career and your life purpose."

For many years, Demi Lovato has graced our television screens, performed in sold-out stadiums, posed for magazine covers, and developed a deep affinity for philanthropy. To say the least, it's been quite the journey for an individual who just celebrated her 25th year of life. On Tell Me You Love Me, it seems Lovato has finally found her voice: fresh, fierce, and unapologetic.

And the music itself? Well, it will play louder than any controversy ever could.

(Ashley Monaé is a Brooklyn-based writer. Her work has appeared in the pages of PAPER and Nylon and online at Pitchfork, Billboard and Highsnobiety, among others.)

Pop Star Zara Larsson On Ed Sheeran, Beyoncé, 'So Good'

Armed with an impressive list of high profile collaborations, the 19-year-old singer/songwriter has arrived to take America by storm

Jacklyn Krol

GRAMMYs

Aug 25, 2017 - 5:49 pm

At only 19 years old, Swedish pop singer/songwriter Zara Larsson has set her sights on world domination with her latest album, So Good.

Zara Larsson On Writing With Ed Sheeran

One of Larsson's biggest American buzzworthy hits from the album so far is "Symphony," her collaboration with Clean Bandit, which came to life after the GRAMMY-winning group heard Larsson's "Lush Life" and approached her.

"We just recorded it. It sounds great. We did the video and boom it was out, very easy and very effortless," said Larsson. "So hopefully I'm going to be in the studio with them to write some more."

A more recent single, "Don't Let Me Be Yours," also resulted from a collaboration, this time between Larsson, Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid, Steve Mac, and GRAMMY winner Ed Sheeran.

"[Johnny] just basically told me, 'Well, tomorrow when we have the session Ed might swing by,'" said Larsson. "We were just jamming and … I was like, 'Whatever, he's not going to show up, like, why would he do that?' And then he showed up! On time actually, and he was just the nicest guy."

Believe it or not, "Don't Let Me Be Yours" was not set to be on the album initially, but Larsson fought for it to make the cut because she felt the vibe between her and Sheeran in the studio was so natural.

"That's how I feel collabs should be, you know? You should work with each other in the studio and it should just come easy and that's what happened."

Speaking of Sheeran, Larsson has even incorporated a cover of his hit "Shape Of You" into her live shows.

"I'm still starting off, and I think my biggest song to this day is definitely "Never Forget You" here in America, so I think I want that element of, 'Oh, you know this one,' to keep [the audience] interested and keep them singing along."

Larsson lists Beyoncé as part of a wide range of influences from various genres, but still understands that her music is undeniably pop. Most importantly, she is maintaining an open mind and letting her sound develop naturally.

"Honestly, I don't really know what I want, I don't have this vision where I want it to sound like this," Larsson said. "I'm super open to everything."

Apple Music: Watch Classic GRAMMY Pop Performances

From Jennifer Hudson and Christina Aguilera to Gnarls Barkley and Ricky Martin, watch unforgettable GRAMMY pop performances now on Apple Music

Tim McPhate

GRAMMYs

Dec 5, 2017 - 10:37 am

As part of The Recording Academy and Apple Music's exclusive commemorative video collection in celebration of the GRAMMY Awards' 60th anniversary, music fans can now watch some of the most electric pop performances in the history of Music's Biggest Night.

Elton John On Loving Lady Gaga: "GRAMMYs Greatest Stories"

The GRAMMY winner discusses the "brilliant" experience of performing with artists on Music's Biggest Night; tune in to "GRAMMYs Greatest Stories" Nov. 24 at 9 p.m. on CBS

Renée Fabian

GRAMMYs

Nov 24, 2017 - 12:33 pm

Elton John is a GRAMMY Legend — literally. Not only is he a five-time GRAMMY winner, he's also a recipient of the prestigious GRAMMY Legend Award, joining a class of only 15 artists to receive the honor.

Elton John On His GRAMMY Moment With Lady Gaga

Appropriately, John has performed with a wide range of artists over the years, opportunities he describes as "always inspiring" and "brilliant," especially when he gets the chance to perform with artists on the GRAMMY stage he wouldn't cross paths with otherwise. This includes his performance with the Backstreet Boys at the 42nd GRAMMY Awards and his unforgettable collaboration with Eminem at the 43rd GRAMMY Awards.

"I got a phone call from Gaga who asked me to perform the opening number with her, and she said, 'What would you like to do?'" says John. "I said, 'I don't care. It's your opening number. … I'll do what you want because I love you and I love what you are and who you are and I love the music.' When we finished the duet and it was really spine-chilling and I knew it was a big success."

Watch John and other artists reminisce about the most memorable performances in GRAMMY history on the upcoming TV special "GRAMMYs Greatest Stories: A 60th Anniversary Special," airing Friday, Nov. 24 from 9–11 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

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